Florida family and grandchildren missing after private plane crashes near Bahamas
An 80-year-old pilot, his 79-year-old wife and their two adult grandchildren vanished when their Piper PA-34 aircraft went down in the Atlantic off Andros Island while returning from the Bahamas.
Bahamas authorities reported that a five-seat Piper PA-34 aircraft disappeared over water about 13 miles west of Andros Island at approximately 2:20 p.m. on Monday while en route to Opa-Locka, Florida. The flight, which had departed from Great Harbor Cay earlier that morning, was carrying pilot Mario Lamar, 80, his wife Lili Lamar, 79, and their grandchildren Sofia Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22, according to statements from family members.
Flight tracking data showed the plane’s speed fluctuating before its altitude dropped sharply from 10,000 feet to 3,700 feet within three minutes. Rough weather near the north end of Andros Island is believed to have contributed to the incident and delayed initial search efforts.
The U.S. Coast Guard deployed an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft to assist Bahamian officials in the search and rescue operation. Family members noted that Mario Lamar had more than four decades of flying experience. Sofia Sosa had recently graduated from Wake Forest University, and her brother Christian Sosa had completed his studies at Loyola Marymount University.